Written to an Angel
by DragonsRuleYourDreams12
Summary: Ed died at the age of 12, after recieving his auto-mail surgery. Al became depressed and sank to Winry's basement for two years, writing letters to Ed that will never be sent. Perhaps it was a good thing that Al didn't except Ed's death.
1. Letters

**I was reading around and wanted to write this. Yeah, so... Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, never will, so.... SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Rain poured over the small town of Central. There was a single candle lit in the basement of the Rockbell home. Winry slowly opened the door and looked down the steps. This had gone on for days now, without rest. She wondered if the boy would ever snap out of it. She had not dared to go down in it, seeing as the large suit of armor never left.

She sat and listened to the sound of a pen sketch over parchment, a forever sound that never stopped within the cement walls lined with books. In front of the armor was a limp pillow and a blanket that looked like it's owner tossed it off of their body when getting up in the morning. It never was messed with or changed around, and had been there for years. She couldn't remember the last time she had spoken to or heard the sound of the armor's words. But then she heard the noise she wanted so badly.

The reassuring _clank_ of armor moving.

She saw him move and stand up, then look toward the door. She jumped out of the way and hid around the corner of another hallway. She watched and heard Al slowly leave the basement and go into the living room. Winry ran into the basement, being as quiet as she could, and picked up the stack of papers that Al had been writing for two years. It was thick and heavy.

She felt a hot lump in her throat as she began to read the letters that would never be sent.

_Dear Brother, _

_I miss you. Winry is acting very strange. Brother... Why is she afraid of me? Why is she afraid of everything I do? You said that nobody was afraid of me. You said that I wasn't scary. Maybe she's waiting for you to come back so you could have your auto-mail fixed. I know Granny Pinako said that you never woke up from the surgery, but... I know you did. I watched you get up and you put your arm on my shoulder. You told me I'd get my body back, and that you'd be gone for a little while. Brother... Where are you? It has been three years. Don't you remember? You're fifteen, and I'm fourteen? Brother, why won't you answer me? I make things for you. Your bed is still here. I haven't touched it. I promise. Are you hungry? I can make something for you to eat. Granny said I could get a kitten, but... I knew you didn't want me to have one. You said that we travel too much. _

Winry felt a tear slide down her cheek.

_Dear Brother, _

_Winry sits at the top of the stairs everyday. She just stares at me. I know what she is thinking. But I am normal. I'm human... Aren't I?_

Some of the letters were shorter than others. Winry coughed, and tried not to cry.

_Dear Brother, _

_I'm sorry. If it wern't for me, you wouldn't have to have gotten auto-mail. You didn't have to leave. We would be side-by-side, with Mom. And we'd be happy. We would go and play by the river until Mom flashed the light at us. Then we'd have a race back home. Sometimes you cheated, but it was fun. And we would fight over who got the first cookie and the last cookie out of the oven. I'm sorry, Brother. I really am. You can have the last cookie. You can always win. I just want you home... because Winry misses you. I miss you... _

Winry dropped the stack of papers and cupped one hand over her mouth, trying to contain the loud sobs escaping her lips. Ed died two years ago, after having his nerves connected to his auto-mail. He had become sickly just a week before, and Pinako suspected he was too weak from the sickness to wake up. He had blacked out and his heart had stopped. Ever since, Al had moved down to the basement, never talking, only leaving it to vistit Ed's grave. Even then he never said anything to either Pinako or Winry. Winry wasn't afraid of Al; she was just afraid of his reaction. She was afraid he would beat himself up if she ever tried to talk about his brother. She hadn't realised he already did. But something told her to put the stack of papers back in place and to leave the basement, and so she did. She scurried up the stairs and twisted around the hallway corner, avoiding the eyes of Pinako; if she were on the couch; or Al; if he walked in and went back to his work.

At fifteen, she should have been in school, or working by her grandmother's side more often. Yet almost all her time was devoted to hearing the suttle movement and the sound of pen across paper from the crack of an open basement door. Almost all her time was wrapped around an Elric.

She felt another cough in her throat and she shook her head, trying to force the tears out of her eyes. But, it was then, that she felt cold metal press up agenst her cheek and wipe a falling tear away.

"It's okay, Winry."

Winry looked up to see two locks of blonde bangs drawn to the sides of a pale face. To see a black jacket and black leather pants. To see two, large, golden eyes staring down at her.

"I'm back from my trip."


	2. Tears and Rain

**OMG, thanks so much you guys!!! Do you have any ideas? I can do any kind of pairings you would like!! A little Edwin? Or maybe some Roy and Riza? Do they even have a name for that? I can write just about anything. I can kill off characters(lol), bring different ones back to life, do anything you like. First come, first served! The only thing I ask is it tie a **_**little**_** in with the story. You know how I am, though. I hate to put limitations on creative minds! Gosh, that sounded stupid. What am I, an art teacher? o.0 **

**Disclaimer: There's this writer, who thinks it's stupid to put in a disclaimer. *strums gutar* SO SHE SAID THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS SHE DOESN'T OWN FMA!**

"Eh... Ed?"

The blonde smiled. "Did you guys think I was dead?"

Winry wanted to smile, but on the other hand, just wanted to SLAP him. She nodded.

Ed knelt down. "You really think that an alchemist who survived the gate wouldn't live through a simply nerve connection? I faked some alchemy and slipped out, using the magnetic waves within the air. I discharged my molicules into indivdual cells that fed off the ellectrical current within the air. Once out of the range of the current, they formed one again. It was the trippy part of making a life-like doll while being into cells." he grinned.

Winry, understanding only bits and parts of his explination, lifted her hand and smacked him across the face. That urge seemed to have won at the time. "Do you know the things you've done to Al?! Or were you only selfish enough to care about your plan?! Why did you even leave in the first place?!?" she broke into sobs.

Ed was puzzeled. He was sure that his sudden entrance would startle her. "Wh... What?"

"Go... Go see Al... He's at your... 'Grave'..." Winry sobbed, cupping her face in her hands.

Ed sighed and stood up streight. He looked down at his auto-mail hand. Two years of living, sleeping, traveling with this thing, and he hadn't once thought about his little brother? He shook his head and darted out the door. He couldn't even remember the two, large, ruby eyes.

He raced out of the house and across the street. Rain dampened his hair and made his bangs stick to the sides of his face. He reached up to brush them out of his eyes but slipped forward.

Two large, metal arms wrapped around his shoulders, catching him from the fall onto the slick road.

Ed looked up to see confused ruby eyes burning holes thru him. They looked lost and exicted at the same time. Ed slowly lowered his eyes, scanning the large armor he once knew like a map. He once knew how to read his little brother like a book. Now he just seemed like a whole new person.

"Al..." Ed whispered. He hadn't used that word in so long.

Al's grip on his shoulders remained, but loosened with each passing second. It felt like hours. Ed used to be able to tell what each little shake of his eyes, the way he swung his arms, the pace that he moved at, all of it, ment. But now--

It seemed like he hardly even knew the boy trapped within the armor.

Al stepped back. A gasp echoed within the steel shell. Ed expected probably the hardest hit in the head he'd ever have. He closed his eyes and tightened his shoulders and bit his lip, prepairing for the gloved fist to swing down on his blonde head.

But he felt two gloved hands wrap around his waste. He saw the armor on his knees, eyes closed. Ed pealed his arms out from underneeth Al's and returned the hug.

"Ed..." whispered the young, yet deepened voice. "Oh, Ed..."

Ed smiled and pulled away. His voice ached to whisper the soft prayers to his little brother that he used to tell. It ached to use the tone Ed only had for his little brother; the soft, humble, loving, brotherly tone Ed had within him.

Al stood up, but seemed weak in the knees. He couldn't say anything.

Ed looked up at his baby brother, expressing his sorrows through a mere glance. AIt was amazing; how Al could still read Ed's eyes, even down to the deepest and darkest bits, even though it had been years. "I'm sorry." he whispered. His voice was barely audible through the sound of the rain.

"Brother... Let's get you inside." Al hovered over the teen, trying in his best attempts to block the droplets from landing on Ed. "You'll catch a cold."

Ed laughed. "Al, you haven't changed."

Ed walked into the house, leaving the rain. Al came in and stooped by the door like he had been doing for years. Ed found it amazing that the armor could dry himself off within the time Ed would get his coat off. Ed laughed and shook his head. A spray of water landed on Al's chest plate.

"Hey!" Al scolded, reaching for the wet towel he had just used. He rang it out on Ed's head. Ed growled and tackeled him down.

Winry came around the hallway and saw the two romping around on the living room floor like kids. She smiled.

* * *

"Sir?"

"Yes, LT. Hawkeye?"

"What do you think Mr. Elric is doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Remember? You were going to invite both the Elrics to join the millitary? Then Edward died, Sir?"

"Oh, well, yes. What about it, LT.?"

"How do you think the youth brother is doing? Do you still wish to have him join?"

The black-haired colonel put his hand to his chin.

"Please don't tell me you were blind but to the elder Elric's power? The youth may be just as skilled." LT. Hawkeye folded her arms.

"Yes, I-... I know. Rumors spread, and fan out. I may have heard the story wrong, but a local resedent told me that the youth bares armor and is deeply enraged. Is that any attitude for an alchemist that 'works for the people' should have?"

"Sir!" Hawkeye exclaimed. "I have heard from the younger Elric's friend that he is not in any way--"

"Hawkeye!" The colonel stood up and slammed his hands on his desk. "_Is that any attidute that a state alchemist should have_?"

Hawkeye looked down in defeat. She paused, biting her lip. "N-... No, Sir." she said, lowering her voice.

"Riza." Riza's eyes sharply looked up and matched the Colonel's. Never had Roy addressed her by this name at work. She was simply just 'LT Hawkeye'.

"I _will_ look into this, I assure you. Right now, however, devoting a very, very tallented alchemist who has a very, very bad repuatation around the town to the millitary, well... It would loosten some tight bonds that we have with the townsfolk. We 'work for the people'. Putting that boy in here would not be working for the people, no matter how nice he may be. As soon as the little rumor dies down around Central, I'll go and speak to him." A smile was brought to the officer's lips.

Riza nodded. Perhaps the colonel pulled just as many favors to her as she did for him.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Get back to your paperwork."

* * *

* * *

**Gosh, the end already? Well, I hope you liked it. I know, perhaps, some logic doesn't make sense, but it's not like somebody in the real world could clap their hands and make a statue appear out of solid rock. That's the power of imagination!! (here we go again... -_-U) So, yeah. The only other little rule I have is no lemon/lime, yoai, yuke, Elricest, anything like that. I can do a little hugging or a little kissing every now and then, you know, typical stuff. But I'm not doing anything heavier than that. Okay? So get to thinken' and reviewen'! Thanks! TALK TO YA'S TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **

_**~DragonsRuleYourDreams12 is OUT!**_


	3. Back Again

**Wee-Hee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I likey this story! All right, I have one request for Edwin, so this chapter will be containing bits of it. But you can't just skip through it, because I'm giving plot hints in here. Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: EEK! EEK! THE DISCLAIMERS ARE COMING! THE DISCLAIMERS ARE COMING! ONE OF THEM PEED ON MY FOOT! AGH! I DON'T OWN FMA! HELP!**

"Brother...?"

Ed looked over to Al who, was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the couch. "Yes, Al?"

"Why did you leave?"

Al's voice was just so innocent. He bit his lips and looked down. "Al... I was... I went to Ishbal. I couldn't let you go."

"Brother!" Al exclaimed. "W-What?! You decided you, as a child, should go, but leave your invincible seven-foot tall suit of armor-brother at home? That makes no sense!! You could have really been killed!"

"Al! You don't understand! I found out things that are going to help us!" Ed was standing now.

Al looked down. He shouldn't be yelling at Ed like this. "What did you find out?" he asked more calmly.

Ed sighed and looked into his little brother's eyes. He started to explain how the war there was really started, then about the Ishballan killer named Scar, then the secret of the philosophers' stone.

Al fell over sideways, and Winry gasped.

"Brother! That- That can't be!" Al shook his head. "There is no way that the philosophers stone--" he voice started to crack.

Ed put a hand on Al's shoulder. "I can't help it. I'm sorry."

Al nodded. A sigh echoed within his armor. "Well...? Where does that put us now?"

"Don't know. Maybe we should join the military, like we were offered." Ed folded his arms.

"We can't! Everybody around Central thinks you're dead, and everybody thinks I'm a monster."

Ed glanced at the youth with a look like what-did-you-do-and-why-are-you-stealing-my-job on his face.

Al shook his head, holding his hands in front of him. "Nothing! I swear!"

"Then these people really spread rumors about your looks, huh?" Winry had been leaning on the wall.

Ed looked over at her. "Yeah." He then looked down. "Al, I'm sorry for leaving. I never thought I would take as long as I did. Do you forgive me?"

Al's eyes lit up. He wrapped his arms around his brother. "Brother, I would never blame you for anything!"

Ed smiled and hugged back. "Thanks."

Winry smiled. "Don't leave me out of this." She walked over and knelt down, hugging both brothers as if she had done this a million times.

Al then turned to Winry. "Winry? Why did you act afraid of me?"

Winry blinked, almost shocked. "Scared?"

Ed turned to her, also curious about the question.

"I wasn't scared of you, Al. I thought you were mad at me."

"Oh…" Al looked away.

"Well…" Ed stood, and stretched. "Al, Winry, let's go into town and clear the rumors."

They both nodded. Ed grabbed his coat and they all headed out the door. The rain started to let up as they closed the Rockbell's door.

A passerby pointed at Al and called out, then ran away. Ed growled at the man. People stared in awe at the three, or maybe shock.

The three made their way to the military and threw open the doors.

Hawkeye and Falmen were standing near the door when they walked in.

"The Elrics?" Falmen exclaimed, stepping back.

"I... don't... believe it..." Hawkeye stuttered.

Ed grinned and cracked his knuckles. "I hear some pretty bad rumors are going on about my baby brother. Care to help em get rid of 'em?"

Al put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "No, Ed. It's okay. You need to tell the Colonel that you're well."

Riza was the first to straighten up. "Despite what the others might say, I welcome you're appearance. May I ask why there was a rumor of you're death?"

"Oh, that? I disappear for a while around here and everybody acts like the world blew up." Ed flapped a hand at the statement, almost laughing at it.

"Mr. Elric, there was a service held for you! I would not be the only one to believe you're death was not fake." Riza scolded, looking down at him.

Falman had gotten used to Ed's 'reincarnation' and had thus gotten to wowing over Al.

"Are you really as rude as they say you are?" he asked. He almost slapped himself in the face; the words had just came out without him thinking.

Ed, this time, laughed. "Oh, Al? Aha ha ha, a _butterfly_ seems ferocious compared to him!" he rapped on Al's chest plate a few times.

Al smiled and looked down at Falman. He reached up and put his hand to the back of his head merely out of habit. "No, I wouldn't quite say so..." he laughed nervously.

**And there you have it! I apologize a thousand times for not updating in a year! I SORRY! YOU CAN KILL ME NOW!!!**

**Heh heh, it's not over yet. I'm sorry, again. **


	4. Human

**Okay, guys! I'm back and rolling! I had a schedule problem and homework problem at school, so now I'm on my game, and I'm doing good! I'll be updating faster now. If you have any questions or personal comments, just PM me and ask. I'll answer. And I'm not against suggestions or complaints, either. But thanks for reading after such a long time. I feel sorta bad, so I'm going to post three or four chapters up this week. Heck, maybe even five! I don't know, I'll have to see as I type. **

**So, yeah. Thanks again. That's just about all I have for now. I'm still doing pairing requests, and no Yaoi, Yuri, lemon or lime. I'll do a polite kiss and hugging here and there, but nothing heavier than that. Okay? Thanks again. **

**I really appreciate you guys reading! I'm aiming for twenty reviews within this month! Please help me with that! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, never will. If I did, I would bathe in a solid gold bathtub and take tours to everywhere. IT'S NOT FAIR!! OMIGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT FAIRZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

"Hmm? What is it you want, LT.?" Roy asked, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Colonel, you must come quick!" Riza practically yelled into the phone.

Roy suddenly became alarmed. "What is is, Hawkeye?!" he glanced back at his desk, ready to leap at it and retrieve his precious glove.

"Come quick, Sir! No need for extra precautions; it is just simply amazing!" Riza exclaimed, slamming the phone into it's holder and glancing back at the Elrics and Winry.

Ed smiled. "What? Has the great Colonel Mustang that I've heard so much about fallen lazy?" he laughed.

Al, if could have, frowned. "Brother, don't be so impulsive... You haven't even met him yet." There was a slight edge to his voice the clearly indicated he wasn't used to talking to Ed.

Ed glanced back at Al. His eyebrows would have been narrowed if he hadn't felt so bad for the tone of Alphonse's voice.

Winry smiled. "Come on, you two. You haven't even been together for more than an hour and you've already began bickering."

Al's eyes lowered. "Right..." he murmured. "Sorry."

Ed's eyes looked mixed between anger at himself and guilt. "Al," he said, to the response of Al's head jerking up in shock, "there's no reason for you to feel bad about anything."

Al's eyes flashed. "I'm... I'm sorry," he said, stepping back. "I'm sorry..." he turned and ran, full speed, at the door and through it.

"Al!" Ed called, turning to race after him.

Al ran down the street and into an ally, trying not to listen to the shouts of disapproval chasing after him. He ducked down a smaller path and stooped low to scribble something on the wall. He placed his palm on it and a large wall shot up from the ground, blocking the entrance to the path.

Then again, there was only a small indent, almost as if a dumpster were to be in place there, so he could only lean against the wall.

He put his face in his hands. He knew, or _thought_ he knew, what those subtle looks were that kept coming from his brother.

They were because his brother didn't trust him anymore.

Didn't like him.

Didn't even _know_ him.

Al shook his head. He wanted nothing more than his brother, and he got it.

He had, also, forgotten about equivalent exchange.

He got his brother back. Did that mean his brother was the same as before? Maybe his toll was the trust and love of Ed.

Or maybe even the memory.

He acted like he knew Winry.

But maybe somebody set him up to know about auto-mail surgery and the Rockbell family. Maybe he was set up to know who the Elric(s) were and where they lived.

Maybe this 'Ed' was a fake.

Al slammed his fist into the ground. Alchemy. That was it. If this person that said he was 'Ed' knew as much alchemy as regular Ed did, maybe he was the real deal.

Maybe.

He saw something white flutter down from the sky. Ir was folded and crinkled.

He unfolded it.

_Dear Anthony, _

_I wish you could come to see the real books at the library. It's not amazing, but still good. I know you don't like books, but maybe you could come to trust them as I do. Thanks. _

_~Emily _

Al eyed the note suspiciously. What did it mean?

And then it hit him.

He had to decipher the note to find it's true meaning.

"Let's see..." he sighed. "Anthony. Alphonse. They both start with the letter A. So this has to be addressed to me. 'I wish you could come to see the real books'... That must mean something is real. Maybe that is the real Ed. 'In the library'..." he mumbled, taking mental notes, "if it is the real Ed, he wouldn't come to me. He would make me go to him so he could prove it. But the library isn't the place; I know all too well. So it has to be a town that starts with an 'L'... Lior! Brother would go there! 'not amazing'... Something to do with no alchemy. And then something about me trying to trust him." He would have cracked a grin if not for the armor.

Suddenly, the ground began to glow.

"Alphonse! Move!"

Ed wished he could have only been sooner. Perhaps then an arrow wouldn't have pierced Al's armor.

Ed barely was able to jump down the wall and block Al from the attack.

Those homunculus set a trap for him.

Ed clapped his hands and slammed them down.

He wasn't sure at all what had just happened. Al had been preoccupied with a note that the homunculus created. Wrath made the ground below Alphonse turn to rubble, thus letting Lust pierce Al's blood seal with one of her long nails.

And then there was an even larger flash of light.

Ed heard a scream.

He looked around. The place he was in was completely white.

He then saw a ghostly shape of Lust standing before him.

"Brat..." she moaned. "Why did you go and use my stone?"

"'Stone'?!" Ed exclaimed, stepping forward. "Do you mean the philosopher's stone? Inside of you?!"

Lust nodded. "You arrogant little--" she then vaporized into thin air.

Ed looked around. "Lust?! Lust! Tell me what happened!" he cried, preparing to clap his hands.

"You did it, runt." A new voice broke into the picture.

Ed flipped around. He saw the form of a body with a real arm and leg standing before him with an evil grin printed to it's face.

"Truth?" Ed asked.

"Yeah. You didn't know it? You're at The Gate. When you transmuted Lust, you somehow managed to use the stone inside of her." The Truth said, frowning. "That means you get whatever you want on the menu."

Ed blinked, and looked down at his hand. Still auto-mail.

"How many items, then?" he asked, clenching his right hand into a fist.

"Hmm... It's a pretty new stone, so I'd say two or three." The Truth shot a quizzical look at Ed.

"First," Ed began, "I want my brother returned to his body. Then I want my old limbs back. You can have the auto-mail."

"Tsk tsk tsk, alchemist. Lest you remember that your brother is _dead_?" The Truth grinned.

Ed's eyes widened. He looked down. "Technically," he smile then returned. "Al's body is alive. If his soul is returned and his body is alive, that means it is alive as it is."

"Very smart, Fullmetal." The Truth frowned. "Whatever."

There was a brighter flash of light, and Ed's eyes snapped open.

He was laying in a puddle of muddy water.

The sewers. The homunculus had come up from the sewers. Ed looked around. He scanned the area for Wrath when he saw something pale and limp laying against the wall just a few feet from him.

"Alphonse!" Ed screamed, jolting up and over to Al.

Al's eyes fluttered open weakly. His stomach gave a loud growl. "Bru... Brother.." he murmured, looking up.

Ed's eyes were filled with tears as he grabbed Al. "Al... You're okay!" he exclaimed. "Is everything okay? What hurts? Can you breathe?"

Al pushed Ed away weakly. "Thank you..." he said before bursting into tears. Ed only smiled and helped Al up. He took off his wet red coat and wrapped Al in it.

"Better than nothing, right?" Al said, smiling. His voice was hoarse and quiet. Al's skin was rough and clung to his ribs.

There was no meat on the boy at all, and his eyes were black from lack of sleep.

Ed scooped Al up, bridal style, and started a trot down the sewers.

"Al... I'm--"

"The best big brother there is out there." Al looked up into Ed's gold eyes. "Because you gave me my happy ending."

Ed's heart melted at those words. That was the best praise he had ever received.

Ed felt a weak hand pushing on his chest. He stopped in mid-trot. Al squirmed in his arms. "Set me down, Brother." he asked.

Ed frowned,but gently helped him to his feet. Al wobbled a bit, but gained balance. He closed his eyes and brought his hand to his heart.

Ed watched in confusion.

Al's eyes opened again and he took a step forward. Then another. And another. "I think I'll be okay, Ed." Al looked back with a grin.

Ed smiled. "You sure?"

Al nodded and started a trot. Ed walked by his side.

Al began to quicken his pace. Soon, he was at a full jog.

"Al!" Ed called, jogging beside him. "Stop! This has to be bad for your heart!"

Al shook his head. "No! Not at all! I feel fine!"

He dropped to his knees.

Ed skidded to a halt and turned to Al.

Al panted hard. "Sorry... Ed... I had... To feel wind... In my face..." Al looked up at Ed again with a smile.

Ed brushed Al's bangs from his face. "Looks like we'll just have to carry you home."


	5. Brother

**Yays!!!!! But it's not over yet! I still have lots of plans for this story! Let it continue!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA in any way. Boy, do I wish I had a solid gold bath-tub. But I, sadly, don't. We might have to get rid of my dog. So I'm sad. T.T **

_**ONE MONTH LATER FROM AL BEING BROUGHT BACK**_

"Look, Al. I know how hard it must be, but he's gone. He was no-good, anyway." Izumi sighed, tucking a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"But Teacher!" Al protested. "Ed never would have-"

"Well he did." Izumi inturuppted. "I can't help that Edward became greedy. He decided to move out and take a tour of the country. He broke your things and wouldn't even apologize. He'll never be welcomed in this house again."

Al pushed himself away from the table. He slipped on his red coat and went out the door. "I'm going to see Winry."

It had been three weeks since Ed got an attitude and went to Xing after breaking most of Al's things in a fit of rage. Ever since then, he had only spoken to Winry.

Al walked down the street and caught up with Winry at a sandwich parlor. Ed was sitting by her.

He caught the hurt glance from Al when he saw she was already busy.

Al wanted so badly to say "Hi, Brother!", or "Wanna come back and watch the stars like we used to?".

But he couldn't.

He turned away and started to walk down the street.

Forget this all.

This was the end.

He wished he was still in armor.

Because, if he was, maybe Ed would still be by him.

But he felt a tug on his shoulder.

"Oh Alphonse..."

Al turned. He saw Ed standing behind him.

With a blade.

And Al's last word was, ironically...

"Brother".

_**THE END**_


	6. I totaly tricked you guys! HAHAHA!

**PYSCH! I GOT YA!!!!!!!!!**

**!!!!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. OMIGOSH, THAT WAS SO FUNNY! HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!!**

Ed's golden eyes snapped open as he fell from his chair. "Aggrah!!!" he screeched, flipping around.

"Brother! Geez!" Al scolded. "I was just trying to wake you up! Ms. Riza took us the the Colonel's office and you fell asleep. I didn't want to wake you but then you started having a nightmare."

Ed blinked. He hadn't remembered going to Mustang's office. She sighed and rubbed his head.

Al was still armored.

Ed had forgot just how much he loved that word. "Brother". He reached over and touched Al's arm.

"I'm sorry..." he apologized.

Al tilted his head. "Hmm? For what?"

Ed leaned over and hugged Al. "I'm sorry." he repeated.

Al gently touched Ed's shoulder in reply. "Brother..." Al whispered.

Ed's grip on Al tightened. "Thank you." he whispered back, and pulled away,

Al looked away, and then at the door. They had been sitting in the Colonel's office now for at least twenty minutes.

Winry sighed and fidgeted with her hair. "This Mustang guy sure is-"

"Late?" Roy interrupted, opening the door. He raised a brow and eyed the people in the room.

"I'm guessing Edward is the blonde one, Alphonse is the armored one, and Miss Winry is the pretty young lady?" Roy smiled at Winry.

Al nodded, and looked back at Ed. "All these years I would have guessed somebody to think the opposite."

Roy nodded and set a handful of papers on his desk. He clamped his hand down on top of them. "Well, Edo," he smirked, "can I assume that you would like a rank as a Sate Alchemist?"

Ed fumed at that one. "NEVER CALL ME 'EDO' YOU BLACK-HAIRED FIREY FREAK!!!"

Al grabbed Ed and put him back in his chair. "Yes, he would..." Al answered for Ed.

Ed found it strange that Al could read his mind.


	7. Making With a Flame

**NEW CHAPTER! YAY! I've been listening to "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback, so I have some brotherly love going on. NOT ELRICEST! HELL TO THE NO!!!! I HATE THAT CRAP!!!  
!!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Nickelback, "If Everyone Cared", or FMA, or anything else that may be expressed in this story, but I still love them all(most of them) to bits, so I guess I'm still happy. **

Ed pulled away from Al and shook his head. "Nah, Mustang. Another day. Just wanted to drop you a line that Al and I are fine. For now, however," Ed glanced back at Al, "I've got to do some catching-up."

Al's eyes beamed. A small gasp echoed from within his armor.

Ed stood up, grabbed Al's head off his shoulders, and raced off down the hall.

Mustang gasped upon seeing Al's empty armor, even if he knew the Elric's situation.

Al took off after Ed, shouting complaints. Winry followed shortly after, laughing.

All three finally met up at the local park, where Ed was tied to a swing-set and Al got his head back. Winry laughed as Ed squirmed in the ropes and finally got free.

They all sat on the grass, staring at the sun.

"Anything new go on while I was gone?" Ed asked.

Winry went on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about how she had learned this and that and this and that about auto-mail, and how he would have to take her on a shopping spree for parts.

Al sat quietly beside her, messing with a loose string on his loin-cloth, or his boots, or even the tassel-thing on the back of his head.

Ed noticed Al spacing out. "Al..?" he asked. Winry turned her head toward the suit of armor.

Al's head jerked up. "Huh?" he blurted out absentmindedly.

Ed smiled and looked toward the grass. He blinked and looked back at Al. "Want to go check out the pets at the pet shop?"

Al's eyes lit up brighter. "Sure, Brother!"

The two got up and looked down at Winry.

She flipped her hand at them. "Go ahead, you two. I think I'm gonna' stay here and watch the clouds."

Ed yawned. "Okay, whatever." He sighed, turning around and rapping Al on the chest plate. "C'mon, Al."

Al nodded.

They both walked down the street when Ed stopped at an ally. He looked down it. "Something smells weird down there." he said.

Al tilted his head. "Like what?"

"Rotted flesh." Ed's eyes narrowed. "Al, I'm trusting you know enough alchemy to fight if we have to."

"_Fight_?!" Al exclaimed, stepping back a little. "Brother, but why?!"

"Because. Something wrong is going on down there, and we have to figure out what." Ed took off down the ally.

"Awe, Ed!" Al grumbled, following in his wake.

They rounded a corner and came to an old, wooden door at the end. It had a window in the center of it, and a sign tacked to the door that read:

_DO NOT ENTER_

Ed clamped his fingers around his nose and mouth. "This smells like crap!" he yelled, shaking his head.

Al reached up behind Ed and touched the sign. It squeaked loudly and swung back and forth. The sign was held up by a rusty wire that was tacked to the door itself.

Ed looked and the door frame and put his hand to it. He pressed on the center of it.

The door wouldn't give in, even if it looked like it was from the eighteenth century.

Ed sighed and stepped back. Al followed suit. Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the door.

A huge, blue spark blasted from the door and the wood collapsed in on itself.

Al awed the sight. "Brother! You can do a transmutation without a circle now!"

Ed looked up at Al with a grin. "Yep. I learned I could do that in Xing. Pretty handy, huh?"

The two stepped over the remaining rubble left of the door and looked around the place. It was dark with no light. It seemed as if even the sunlight refused to enter the building.

Cobwebs hung from the door frame. Ed could hear his footsteps echoing on the ground.

"I doubt this is a normal house," he whispered, "because nobody I know would have cement floors in an entry-way."

Al nodded in agreement. He stopped on a dime, placing his hand on Ed's shoulder and pulling him back. A quiet, metallic sound rang out from a corner. It kept the same tempo; never going off beat.

"Brother, it sounds like something is dripping in that corner. Maybe water." Al pointed to the direction of the sound.

Ed squinted in the dark. He knew he wouldn't be able to see anything. "Al, let me see your loincloth." Ed turned and looked back at Al.

"What? No!" Al exclaimed, his voice going to pitches that were in total odds with his large metal body.

"Just give it to me. I can make you another later." Ed snapped, holding out his hand.

Al grumbled under his breath as he reached for the hoop at his side. He gave it a hard tug and the fabric snapped. The hoop fell to the floor and landed with a hollow _r-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-nk_ sound at it settled. Al grudgingly handed the cloth to Ed.

Ed bent down and set the cloth on the ground. He clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground. A large metal spear slowly rose from the ground into Ed's hand. He then grabbed the loincloth and wrapped it snug around the non-pointed tip of the spear, making a bundle somewhat resembling a beehive. He then proceeded to dig around in his pocket until his fingers clasped around the plastic object he had needed. He opened the lid of the oil jar he had stolen from Winry a while ago. He tipped the black liquid over the loincloth, letting the substance soak in.

Al watched carefully.

Ed clapped his hands a final time and placed them on the cloth.

A blue bolt sparked into the air. Yellow-orange flames began to lick up from the cloth, feeding on the oil.

"If I only had that cloth," Ed admired his 'art work', "then this fire wouldn't have lasted as long as we need it to. We have to hurry if we want enough light to check this place out."

Al nodded and squinted into the dim corner of the room. The squirming flames of the fire made the shadows in the room dance in harmony to it's movements.

Al saw a small pipe jetting about two feet from the floor in the corner. An eery green goo dripped steadily from it into a little puddle on the floor just about an inch from the mouth of the tube.

Al walked over and bent down. He placed his hand by the edge of the puddle in order to bend down further and look into the pipe.

"Al, wait!" Ed cried.

The goo jumped up from it's puddle and wrapped around Al's hand, pulling it towards the wall. Two long streams of the green substance shot out from the pipe and into the eye-holes of Al's helmet.

"Al!" Ed screamed, clapping his hands and tossing aside the makeshift torch. It landed on the ground, revealing a trail of paper all the way to Ed's feet.

The fire wasted no time running down the line and wrapping around Ed's cloak and pants.

The orange flames acted like hands as they pulled Ed into another room of the house.

The green goo was also having fun as it knocked off Al's helmet. But, by then, Al had been knocked unconscious. The goo slowly retreated from the armor, carrying a black stream of almost transparent film behind it as it crawled back into the pipe.

Ed's eyes opened again. His leg no longer burned as it had. He tried to move his left shoulder and realized he had received a fairly deep gash. He looked down at his hands. Everything was normal except for the long set of claws now jetting from his fingertips.

Pain coursed through his body. He was in a completely dark room, if not for the small fire that danced in the corner.

"Agh..." Ed moaned. Blood spurted from his mouth, causing his head to hurt.

Everything flashed before his eyes. Maybe this was another nightmare.

No, it wasn't.

A wicked laugh rang through the room.

Ed's eyes slowly locked on the fire in the corner.

It began to move. Began to take shape.

It was like an eight-inch tall mini-human without features. It was just the roundabout shape of a human, only slightly fatter.

It began to laugh again.

It's voice was like that of a very evil chipmunk; that is if one ever existed.

Let's just say it was like the Kool-Aid Guy chipmunked.

"I've always dreamed to find myself a talented alchemist, and when I heard the great Edward Elric 'died', I never thought I would be able to find one just like you again. But, you're actually alive!" it exclaimed, stepping up in Ed's face. "So now I can actually carry out my plans."

"What have you done with Al?" Ed asked, his voice hoarse.

The fire laughed again. "My my, quite the worrisome one, aren't we? Do not worry, my friend is taking, or shale I say _creating_, good of him."

Ed's eyes became filled with rage. "What did you do with Al?!" he screamed, trying to get up.

It was then he also realized he had been chained, arms and legs each separately, to a different wall.

The fire tapped Ed on the nose, leaving a small burnt mark in place of it's finger. "My name is Flame, much like that Mustang Alchemist. Only _I_ play with _real_ fire." Flame turned away from Ed. "I wait and wait until some idiot brings a lighter or a lamp or even lets rays of sun in the door that can penitrate the seal that some old alchemist put on this place. When one of those in here, I am in total control. I am, as you say, _unable to be put out_."

Ed growled at Flame. "What have you done with my brother?"

Flame put it's hands on its hips and turned back around. "Hmm? Oh, yes, the armored boy..." Flame seemed to be looking up at the ceiling. There was an evilly pleasant tone in it's voice. "He is with Sparky, that rather flammable green 'goop' that he was messing around with. He provides me with energy. He makes animals and makes those animals work until their dead. The harder the animals work, the faster they die and the more energy we get to try to break the barrier on this place. If the barrier is broken, we are set free. When the animal dies, Sparky turns it into a green 'goop', if you will, and keeps half. The other half goes to me for me to burn intensly as a fire. When we have no more animals, we have no more goop. With no more goop, I cannot live, and the barrier will not be broken until some idiot brings his friends in here. Me and Sparky are a rather _explosive_ pair when we want to be. Other than that, we must be separated. Sadly, he can only make one animal at a time, so you must wait." Flame explained.

"'Make animals'?" Ed roared. "I'm not letting you turn Al into a chimera!"

"Please," Flame said snugly. "if Sparky is working anything as fast as he used to, your brother is already running on a wheel as a hyaena."

Ed's eyes snapped. "Alphonse!" he screeched.

Al's head twitched. His eyes slowly began to open. He looked around. He was covered in gray-brown fur.

He had been transformed into a wolf.

And Ed was coming next.


End file.
